Fairytale Sentiment
by Barbara Leigh
Summary: A twisted tale orchestrated by a fairy who works for the Grim Reaper himself.
1. Three Wives of Burden

_Do you ever wish for the perfect bride?  
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**Chapter 1: Three Wives of Burden**

Once upon a time, Death was on his day off, and already sent his messengers to the mortals on his list. Planning to just kill them later, he was at his quaint library and he was reading fairytales by the fireplace. He enjoyed finding his role as death to be so important in the stories, and laughing at the tragic comeuppances of the characters. When he finished reading _The Complete Collection of Grimm's' Fairytales_, he came to think if there was a fairytale from his own realm, Necropolis, where everyone had no eyeballs. Death searched his library for one that had the elements of a fairytale – a kingdom, damsels in distress, knights in shining armors, fairies, etc. But there was none. Death sighed deeply, but he couldn't bear his eccentric whim. Thus, he grabbed his notorious scythe and went out into the world of Necropolis.

He soon reached the famous Way Castle of King Dewey. Death had nothing against the man, but the tragic loss of their beloved king would have a great impact on the castle, and let's just see where it would lead to. King Dewey was at his throne alone and playing the lute. With one swing of his scythe, Death made the lovable king drop dead on the floor, and left Way Castle. Unfortunately, no new book appeared in his library, and Death thought for awhile of what he missed. Of course, time wasn't the answer for he was already time, and he would not wait for bards and scribes. Suddenly, he laughed at his foolishness of forgetting that the people there had no eyes. How could you grieve without eyes anyway?

So, he called for Lulu, a grief fairy with wings patterned like two skulls in contrast. He ordered her to bring down a pair of eyes from the Necropolitan sky of auroras for King Dewey's wife, Susannah, as so she could cry so much that it might just advance the plot. Lulu immediately flew up to the sky, and chose two stars from the constellation of Aquarius. For you see, in Necropolis, the stars of the night sky were actually eyeballs that contain the gift of sight and emotions. She was on her way to Way Castle when suddenly she heard someone singing in the woods. It was a ballad of pure loneliness that not even Shakespeare could write the lyrics down without suicide.

For the first time, the cynical fairy actually felt sorry for a mortal and went to whoever recited that heartbreaking song. It was a woodsman named Jack who just chopped a mighty oak with one hit of his axe. Such desperation for a companion filled the brawny fellow that Lulu could see his bitter aura beyond his empty eye sockets. Like a bat, the Necropolitan felt the presence of the fairy just in front of his nose. She told him that, since his song had opened a piece of her heart, she finds in it to grand him three wishes. But the woodsman was wise enough to convince the fairy to give him four wishes. After she agreed, Jack sat down at the stump and thought deeply for his first wish.

"I wish for a wife," he said to Lulu, "who is of knightly state as so our child would grow up into a strong warrior. And with her independent attitude, it would not be a burden for me to think of her needs and wants as a woman."

Lulu waved her yew wand to the left, and instructed Jack to go back to his cabin. With the day's bundle of wood on his back, Jack arrived at his simple home deeper in the forest. A woman in armor was knocking at his door. She noticed his presence behind her, and suddenly pointed her rapier close to his chest. There was silence in the air, and the two felt the strong yet appealing aura in each other. Jack introduced his self and asked the dame of her purpose in the forest. Her name was Dame Amaryllis, and fresh from a battle, she got lost in the forest and wanted to ask for directions.

"But I think I already found my destination," she added with a flirty look in her face. Jack dropped the lumber in his shoulders, and kissed her with the excitement that his wish came true. They soon wed and Amaryllis was pregnant with their first child. Jack was happy with his wish because his wife was a strong-wielded woman who doesn't annoy him with her caprices while pregnant. She even bore their son without any help. And Jack named their son Hatchet, his favorite tool.

A year had passed. Jack looked at his son in the cradle. Baby Hatchet didn't grow, not even a little. He could not walk nor speak. He was constantly crying because his forever-teary eyes weren't gouge yet for baptism. He was sickly and weak, and obviously of no promising disposition. Jack was disappointed though Amaryllis was the one taking care of the baby. That day, a footman came and announced that a war began in the south, and sought for Dame Amaryllis's participation. Amaryllis rejoiced upon the return of excitement and action in her life. She quickly prepared her things, put on her mail armor and mounted her steed. Jack was at the door and carrying baby Hatchet in his arms.

As his wife was saying her farewells, Jack was imagining the burden of being alone with a helpless infant. He could not stand it. When Amaryllis turned her back, Jack threw baby Hatchet into one of her bags, and happily waved good bye to his son who didn't cry at all. When he couldn't hear the horse's hooves anymore, Jack felt relieved, but his mood changed into anger that he had been betrayed. He went back to the familiar stump where he first encountered the fairy in black. He shouted her name, "Lulu!" She immediately appeared, but Jack rapidly grabbed her wings with his two fingers.

"Just tell me what your second wish is," Lulu said without a hint of fear in her. Jack then wished for another wife, but this time, she should be a witch so he would not be jinxed anymore with fairy's mischief magic. And if Amaryllis might come back, his new wife might put spells on her that she won't be able to find him. Lulu waved her wand downwards and instructed Jack to go back to his cabin. He did what he was told. And there at the door was a woman of golden beauty. Her name was Isinglass and asked Jack if he could spare her a loft of bread. But Jack instead gave her a wonderful dinner by candlelight with lamb, cheese, chocolate, strawberries and of course, wine.

The two married each other and Isinglass became pregnant. Jack also found no burden with his second wife, because she could just use her witchcraft to get what she needs and wants. She even used magic to teleport their child out of the womb during labor. Upon that moment, Jack held their newborn who was a girl, but he was struck with horror. She was born without any eyes, her hair was of nauseating purple and her face – he could "see" the ugliness on her face, even he had no eyes. He dropped the baby on the floor. Isinglass immediately picked her up. The baby didn't cry, and Isinglass didn't care about her husband's indifference.

"Let's name her Magenta."

"Let's throw her away!"

The mere presence of the girl made Jack wail more. He questioned of how he could have such a child; his wife was as radiant as the sun. Unless, being a witch, she had changed her features. She might be an old crone of equal revulsion in her looks. Screaming, Jack rushed out of the house, and Isinglass ran after him. He soon lost her in the dense woods and found the same stump of oak. Panicking, Jack called for Lulu. She immediately appeared after his fourth cry of desperation. Jack was filled with relief when he saw her.

"I don't like my second wife anymore," he said, "Give me a queen instead! Surely, we will have a beautiful child."

Lulu waved her wand to the right, and before she said it, Jack went on his way back to his cabin. There was no one at the door, but it was ajar. Isinglass and that horrible offspring of hers weren't inside. But Jack ignored his fear of her because he was excited for his third wife. He soon found her sleeping in his bed. She woke up by his presence and complained about the rosary bead under the mattress. With such sensitive skin, Jack inferred she was indeed of royal blood. He kissed her delicate hands and introduced his self as a gentleman. The maiden simply replied, "I'm Susannah."

After that romantic night, Jack asked her to marry him which she willingly said yes. But their wedding was in a simple chapel just outside of the woods. The royal nuptials didn't even show up. After that, instead of going to the palace, Susannah led the way back to the cabin in the woods. Jack didn't see any royal carriage, butler, jester or maid. He wanted to ask Susannah why, but he just thought maybe she wanted it to be a secret since he wasn't royalty. Besides, they would still have a beautiful child. And they did. They happily named her Timber Lea. Nine months of sacrificing and tending to Susannah's nonstop whims was worth it for Jack.

Seven years had passed. Jack was out in the woods to chop trees. He was gasping for breath for he was trying to double his earnings that day in the firewood business. But the chilling winter air made him weaker. He gave up and carried the firewood back to the cabin for their own use instead. Little Timber Lea welcomed her father home though she was facing the wrong way. The happy aura in her made Jack smile and forget about that day's disappointment. But it only lasted for a few seconds. He put more firewood on the hearth that was near Susannah's bed. She was terribly ill, and Jack could not afford the right medicine.

He cooked dinner which was carrot soup, again. He first spoon-fed Timber Lea because the spoon in her hand might not make it to her mouth again. Her eyes were already gouged as part of her baptism in Necropolis, and with her young age, she had still a lot to learn before she could see like a bat in darkness. Next, Jack went beside his wife. As he fed her, he could feel her aura slowly dying like the fire on the hearth. He again put more firewood on it, and he heard Susannah saying good night. He hugged her and felt her heart still beating, but it was a dreadful beating. All night long, Jack kept the hearth alive until there was no more firewood left.

He rushed out in the blizzard, but he could not find any wood that he could chop. He felt the same sad feeling before but he could not let it out in tears. Instead, with all his might, he chopped down a mighty oak tree with one hit of his axe. Suddenly, Lulu appeared dancing on the new stump. "So, are you enjoying your happy ending, Jack?" she teased.

Jack began cursing her, and pointed out that she didn't give him a queen for a wife. Susannah had no money at all, and taking care of her was the greatest burden Jack had. Indeed they had a beautiful daughter and indeed he still loved his wife so much, but she's going to die because they're poor. "Go back to your cabin, Jack," Lulu replied, "Your wife is now a queen." Jack went back to his poorly lit cabin. He found Timber Lea studying a bejeweled crown in her hands. On her lap were a scepter and an orb of outstanding craftsmanship.

With her last breath, Susannah revealed that she's been selfish all these years to Jack. She was actually the Queen of Way Castle. When King Dewey, her husband, died she couldn't bear the emotion that's trying to pierce her heart. She wandered away to forget her husband and to escape that strange emotion. She admitted she became happy with Jack, yet she didn't want to live like royalty again. Now, that Jack knew, she told him to carry her back to Way Castle and show the crown, scepter and orb to her herald.

"I'm sorry for being a burden" were her final words. With one gasp of mist, she died in Jack's embrace. The fire died.


	2. Stepmothers

_What would happen if two evil stepmothers work together?_**

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**Chapter 2: Stepmothers**

Once upon a time, the king of Way Castle, King Dewey, died of unknown circumstances. Lionel, the young and loyal herald, found him lying unconscious, dead, on the floor of the throne room. The Queen wanted to cry but she couldn't. She tried and forced her self so hard so many times. She screamed whenever she failed. The royal children tried to comfort her, but there was this emotion she didn't feel before that's trying to overcome her whole self. It terrified her so that she became aggressive for weeks. The royal children were even forced to leave their father's castle, and stay in the Sun Palace, their grandparents'.

Then, one night, Queen Susannah disappeared. It was only Lionel who knew of her plan to wander away from melancholy. Way Castle had been empty for years. Only the servants lived there, still doing their duties though their masters weren't there anymore. The royal children hadn't come back yet for they were busy with romance. Lionel was faking letters to them because Queen Susannah strictly told him to never bear sad news for she feared they might be haunted, too, by the emotion that drove her away. But one day, Lionel was outside the castle gates, and felt the presence of visitors. One was a girl with uneven steps, and the other was a brawny fellow carrying a coffin.

Lionel led them inside the castle. The man, whose name was Jack, put down the black coffin on the floor. Lionel felt his heart beating fast as if he knew who was inside it. The servants came into the room for they felt a very familiar aura. Jack was about to open the coffin, but Lionel stopped him, "We know, dear Sir." And so, upon that night when the stars cried, they buried Queen Susannah beside King Dewey's grave. Lionel was again troubled to whether tell the royal children of their mother's death or not. That morning, he accompanied the royal waiter to serve breakfast to the guests who brought home the queen's corpse. When they opened the door, Lionel was surprised to see the royal heirlooms, the crown, orb and scepter, sitting on the bed.

Jack's daughter, Timber Lea, was polishing them. Lionel stared at her aura, and knew she was a child of the queen. Jack explained, except for the wish part, about his marriage to Susannah who left those royal heirlooms to him before she died. "Oh, dear Sir, do you know what this means?" Lionel said, "The Queen had chosen you to be next to the throne!" Lionel's news flapped their wings to the ears of Way Castle. Everyone, from servants to nobilities, gathered in the throne room, not that they wanted or cared; they were obliged. The trumpets sounded and they all hailed King Jack and Princess Timber Lea.

It was indeed like a happy ending, but it didn't end there yet. Three years later, Way Castle was celebrating Jack's anniversary as king. Suddenly, the loud clanging of armors was heard outside the grand room. Then, a huge gush of wind threw open the doors. A woman with golden hair came in, and followed by a tall one who put her rapier back into its sheath, as the guards behind them lay on the floor. They both addressed Jack, "Oh, honey!" Jack stood proud from his throne to confront these women whom he didn't fear anymore because he was now king. Then, the crowd started to murmur. "Your, majesty," Lionel asked, "Who are these women?"

"My ex-wives. . . "

"Actually, Jack," Isinglass said, "You are still technically married to us."

"And as it is vowed," Amaryllis added, "We must still have our marital shares."

The crowd murmured louder. Jack was deciding to whether accept his wives though he no longer loved them. They might just waste away his riches. On the other hand, if he kicked them out now, it might worsen his image in the eyes of the elite society, but why must he worry if they themselves had none? His two wives approached him, and he sat on his throne still with dignity. Jack then had an idea to eliminate his wives, "Give me a reason why I mustn't reject each of you, m'ladies. I mean, all women are only good at bearing children. Why must I accept you if the children you bear me before are disappointing?"

Amaryllis smirked and called her son. A young lad came in wearing a full armor and holding a huge double-edged battle axe. His strong and manly aura filled the whole room and made the crowd sink on their knees in fear and awe. Jack moved deeper in his seat as the lad came closer. Jack laughed for he couldn't believe the weak and helpless baby had grown into a strapping young warrior. Amaryllis explained that when Hatchet's eyes were gouged on his baptism, his feeble aura was also gouged from his body. It went with his teary eyes. Jack embraced his son, and kissed Amaryllis's hand.

But Isinglass didn't stand long to watch the spectacle. She summoned a fireball in her wand and hit Jack's chest. The force was so strong that it threw him back to his throne. Jack pulled his self together, but in a cocky way. He said to her, "Don't need to catch my attention, my dear Isinglass. I still love you as much as I love her, IF our child also changed for the better." Isinglass's furrowed eyebrows sank into doubt and worry. She then called her daughter. Footsteps were heard, but the people in the room were puzzled for they could not sense anyone walking in front of them. But Jack was in total horror at the presence of Magenta.

For you see, Isinglass put a spell on her forever-hideous daughter – No one would ever feel or sense her repulsive aura. Unfortunately, it didn't affect anyone of close blood relatives, especially her father. As for Hatchet, he was strong enough to resist it, and Timber Lea wasn't taught yet to sense somebody's aura. In a passion, Jack shouted at Isinglass to go away. But this time, Isinglass got mad at his insolence. She waved her black wand, and at that moment, the doors and windows shut by themselves and the whole room was in flames. The crowd panicked in the inferno, and Jack received the threat and surrendered to Isinglass.

Five years had passed. Amaryllis and Isinglass sat on the balcony overlooking the castle garden. They tossed their wine glasses for their anniversary as queens. Lionel was also there as cupbearer. Actually, he was always there taking all their orders and abuses. That time, he found it quite amusing and touching that two cold-hearted women became close friends because they both hated their husband, and teamed up together to return to him as his legal wives just to get his money. Another herald came in and announced that Amaryllis's warlords wanted to speak with her. Isinglass continued eating biscuit and honey.

Magenta was being pampered at the garden. Timber Lea was also there learning how to sense auras. But her tutor found it hopeless to teach the naïve and illiterate girl. He declared a break to get rid of his frustration. Timber Lea, accompanied by two dogs named Roy and John, approached Magenta who was seated on a high throne. She invited her to play Frog Prince with her. Magenta happily accepted, and her servants made a human stair for her. The two princesses then started chasing frogs out of the pond and into the field of flowers. Whoever had the most frogs sitting on a flower wins.

They were enjoying their selves, and Isinglass smiled that someone actually accepted her ugly daughter. If only Jack would do the same. Isinglass remembered the times she tried to ask Jack to love Magenta, but not to force him to love her. Yet, he just couldn't face their daughter. This was why he favored Amaryllis more when it came to marriage. Then, Isinglass perceived Jack in the garden. He interrupted the girls' game and carried Timber Lea. He advised her, "Don't ever come near this abomination, my girl! You might catch her ugly." And he left the garden with Magenta sobbing. Isinglass was outraged, and went into her room alone. A phantasmagoria of colors appeared beneath the door, and she didn't come out at all for months.

When she did, she asked Lionel of the whereabouts of Timber Lea. She was holding an apple as red as blood. But Lionel replied that Amaryllis took the princess into war as part of her education, since her tutor quitted and Amaryllis volunteered instead. That afternoon, the trumpets declared the victorious return of the warrior queen Amaryllis, Sir Hatchet and his brother, Tom, and Princess Timber Lea. Jack only welcomed his daughter and celebrated in honor of her return only. He was keen to ask her of her adventures, but Timber Lea just sat there and didn't move at all. She never replied to anything or even reacted. The royal physician discovered she was deaf, maybe because of all the turmoil of warfare. Jack then scolded Amaryllis who returned to her chamber.

"Oh, you poor dear," Isinglass politely gave her the apple, but it always fell off the girl's hands due to clumsiness. Isinglass tried to offer it many times, until she rudely tried to force it into Timber Lea's mouth, "Eat the apple, you idiot girl!"Jack threw the apple out the window, and dismissed Isinglass to her chamber, too.

Along the way, Isinglass heard Amaryllis's angry expletives revealing that she intended to take Timber Lea to the battlefield to have her killed. But none of the knights, enemy or not, could kill such delicate creature for they could feel her innocence in her aura. Amaryllis hated her stepdaughter because she reminded Jack of Susannah, whose name he mumbled while sleeping or making love. Isinglass entered the room and said, "I hate that girl, too." Then, they planned to spend more time with their stepdaughter. The next day, Jack went hunting as usual. His two wives marched into Timber Lea's play room.

Amaryllis dismissed Timber Lea's many friends and servants, and Isinglass locked all the doors and windows. Timber Lea was hugging a teddy bear, but Amaryllis grabbed it and began to tantalize her, "You wanna play with your teddy, huh?" Then, she ripped its head and with Isinglass, started to destroy all the toys. But Timber Lea was just there sitting and not caring. "John, Roy," she said out of the blue, "I'm hungry." Isinglass then made the chair and table move to her by their selves. She and Amaryllis started to forcefully feed the princess, hit her teeth with the spoons, choke her and rub the food on her face.

"Oh, my princess, you're filthy. Come take a bath." Amaryllis tossed Timber Lea in the bathtub with boiling water heated by Isinglass's witchcraft. Then, they stripped off Timber Lea's wet clothes and dressed her in rags. They pushed her on the floor and commanded her to clean the mess they made. "Clean up your mess, you filthy urchin, or else we'll hit you!" But Timber Lea couldn't hear them, and just kneeled there. Then, her stepmothers kicked and punched her, and repeated, "Clean up this mess!" They kept doing this until Jack returned, and they would change everything back to order.

Every day, Timber Lea's stepmothers did these things to her. And yet, she was just there like a lifeless doll. Her empty eye sockets just glared at nothing, never knowing the grimaces of her stepmothers. Her pink lips didn't open to shout for help or to complain. Her ears heard none of her stepmother's horrible tortures. And her skin didn't show bruises to be evidence of maltreatment. This turned Amaryllis and Isinglass's anger into desperation. They wanted her to cry, to plead, to scream, to bleed. These would only satisfy their sadistic hunger. Then, they gave up, and just threw Timber Lea deep in the woods.

Unfortunately, the next day, the princess miraculously came back on her own carrying a diamond so brilliant that any Necropolitan could "see" it twinkle. Then, she became more of her father's world, outshining her stepmothers and half-siblings as if they never existed. "That's it! We're going to kill her," Amaryllis and Isinglass finally declared. Jack went hunting in the morning, and his two wives led Timber Lea deep into the woods again. Using witchcraft, Isinglass summoned a gale to throw Timber Lea high up in the air. Amaryllis readied thirteen arrows in one bow to hit the girl, and Isinglass summoned flames on their tips. They both laughed evilly.

Suddenly, a fox and a wolf attacked Amaryllis. The arrows were released, but they were now of inaccuracy. Isinglass summoned a strong wind to throw the wolf away to a tree. Amaryllis caught the fox by the tail, and swung it to the ground. The two creatures became unconscious. Then, the flaming arrows came falling down and pinned Isinglass to the ground. None of her skin was hit, but her gown was burning. Worse, she couldn't reach her wand. Amaryllis tried to help her, but the arrows were stuck to the soil. As for Timber Lea, she fell on a huge stem, and it snapped and crushed onto Amaryllis. She was also stuck for the stem was heavy. Then, the two stepmothers cried for help to Timber Lea who was atop the huge stem.

But she's blind, she's deaf, and she's unforgiving. Thus, she walked away and never came back.


	3. The Thickest Thicket: Timber!

_Does the ugly stepsister have a happily ever after?  
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**Chapter 3: The Thickest Thicket**

Once upon a time, King Dewey had just divorced his wife, Queen Bernadette, who was of a much older age. To celebrate, the king went hunting in the woods. Then, he spotted and followed a graceful roe who led him into a very dense thicket. He stepped out of his horse to cut the bushes to form a clear path. Suddenly, he met a beautiful maiden sitting under a huge oak tree and wearing a dress of flowers. She was a druid named Susannah. The king made her his new queen, and built her her own castle called Way Castle. They soon had two sons, twins actually, named Reynard and Lupine.

Reynard was skilled in combat and weapons, and he was known for his cunning and agility. While Lupine was skilled in taming horses and hunting, and he was known for his wits around the councilors. They were just pages then. They were united by the warmest affection and inseparable in all their enterprises. Then, the two had a quarrel of who would inherit their father's throne. They went to their father and asked him. But all he answered was "Why must you think of my death, my sons?" Thus, he refused to write a will for it was too early.

And yet, he didn't see his sudden death coming. He was playing his lute in the throne room alone, then he dropped dead on the floor. Queen Susannah tried ever so hard to cry for his grave. But instead, she only wailed and destroyed many things. The royal children were then afraid, and their grandparents took them in the Sun Palace to stay away from their demented mother. Reynard and Lupine continued their education there. When they were squires, they wanted to come to Way Castle though Lionel, their herald, kept on saying it wasn't safe yet. Until, the shocking news reached their ears. Their mother was long dead, and her second husband already took over Way Castle.

Reynard and Lupine travelled at once to their mother's castle where they only met King Jack's two wives, Queens Amaryllis and Isinglass, because King Jack was out hunting as usual. Reynard and Lupine demanded their rightful castle back, but Amaryllis instead challenged them in a joust. The princes knew they could not match her expertise, so they cheated by tampering with her lance, and putting pressure on her horse before they began. But Amaryllis didn't put up with her mischance, and refused to keep her word. The princes declared war and left. When they were in the thicket, Isinglass appeared and changed Reynard and Lupine into a fox and a wolf respectively.

The forest became their home, and they could not find their way out, as if they were meant to stay there. One night, they encountered a dark tower where the sadistic fairy named Lulu haunted and would scare anyone going inside to take her treasure. They asked her of how to get rid from the witch's spell. She told them that it would be broken if they helped someone find a happy ending. "Trust me. I've been working with fairytales for a long time," Lulu said, "It always works." But whenever Reynard and Lupine encounter a human, they would become the prize game for being magical talking animals.

Then, one day, they met a little princess sitting in the woods alone. She was just there sitting and nothing else. She was obviously abandoned there to starve to death. Then, Reynard and Lupine could feel that she was of close blood to them. But Reynard realized she was deaf, never answering his questions of who she was, how and why she was there, and does she want her happy ending. He nuzzled her back while Lupine let her pat him. But she called them Roy and John, and wobbly walked around hitting a tree. Lupine realized she was blind, really blind, illiterate, the term of Necropolitans for people who couldn't sense auras.

Lupine carried the girl on his back and Reynard led the way to the dark tower. Thunderclouds surrounded it, and its bricks gravely moaned. The two brothers were scared and were having second thoughts if they should let the innocent girl go there. But the girl already walked to the door, and went inside. She climbed the seemingly never-ending staircase filled with bones and dry blood. She soon reached the room above, and for the very first time, she could "see" something glistening in the dark. She touched the brilliant thing, and it was as refined as a diamond. Lulu appeared and using magic, she forced the girl away from it.

Then, the fairy began conducting nightmares within the room decorated with cobwebs. The sound of knells appeared archly. A grove of thistles crawled about the floor and walls. The ghosts commenced a night of sighs, and breathed cold air upon the girl's neck. The ghouls spread out their wings of dread and menacingly flew above the girl. Creepy crawlies went inside the girl's clothes. The skeletons danced around as they ululated their macabre song. But amidst this phantasmagoria of horrors, the girl only stared and smiled at the diamond floating in the middle of the room. She never felt such happiness of being able to see something in all her life.

In the morning, Reynard and Lupine saw the princess holding the precious gem as she magically flew out of the tower and out of the thicket. But days passed, the two princes hadn't change back to their human forms. They wondered, then suddenly, they sensed the distressed heart of the young princess high up in the air. It was the stepmothers' playful assassination. It would've been a bloody success, if it had not Reynard and Lupine attacked them. Unfortunately, they were thrown away and became unconscious. When they woke up, they saw the evil stepmothers defeated. The witch in flames vowed vendetta upon the two brothers.

But Reynard and Lupine ran away and laughed and laughed. Suddenly, they were grabbed by surprise, and put in a sack. They were on a carriage. But the next thing they knew, they heard the coachman's terrified scream and someone looting the carriage. The sack they were in was opened and they leaped out to meet a girl wearing jewels from the other sacks. But she was disappointed to see two filthy animals in that one. "Who are you calling filthy?!" Reynard growled. Lupine added, "My dear girl, we are more valuable than those jewels for we could help you find your happy ending." The girl doubted, but since they were talking animals, she went with them.


	4. The Thickest Thicket: Peacock Eyes

_continuation of the third chapter_

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"My name is Magenta. My half-sister came back with a jewel so precious that she became more precious to father. My father never loved me, but my mother advised me to go to the thicket, too, and find a treasure to win father's love."

Along the way, she wondered why the fox and the wolf weren't repelled by her so-called ugliness. "Maybe because they're animals." That night, the eyes of the sky cried, and the three spotted a beautiful cottage in the forest. Magenta, rudely barged in. The man and woman seated by the fireplace were frightened upon her hideous aura. They were so frightened that they became her slaves. Reynard and Lupine disapproved of her behavior, but they soon learned to live there with her.

One night, the couple asked Magenta, as the new owner of the cottage, to set up the defenses herself from the goblins who would invade unprotected houses. But she was an idle and lazy girl who didn't care and laughed at their stupid superstitions. So, that night was interrupted by the march of the goblins and their serenade of their special fruits. Lupine advised Magenta to not go near them. But she was so tempted by the mouth-watering fruits. Reynard bit her skirt to stop her, but her desire was stronger. Upon one taste of a pomegranate, Magenta became psychedelic. The goblins would make her dance and sing in exchange of another taste.

Reynard and Lupine watched her become more stupid. The goblins left before dawn, and Magenta licked the floor clean of fruit juices. For the next week, she became nicer, maybe because, she got mellow by the magical effects of the forbidden fruits. Then, another week came, she became unstable, refusing to eat anything and shouting her desire for more of the goblins' fruits. One night, Reynard lay by the fireplace as their slaves groomed him, while Lupine was at the couch, reading a book. Magenta came in with a huge yet disturbing smile. Her two friends were about to say "no" for the millionth time, but seeing her shaking like a twig, they pitied her. They thought maybe it would be the stupid girl's happy ending – choking on a fairy fruit and dying happy.

They ordered the couple to lead them to the goblins' market. They were scared to go, but they were more scared of Magenta. They came upon a stream where an island was found. On it was a glowing rowan tree. Magenta slid through it excitedly, as Reynard and Lupine peeked in to watch her cause hysterical chaos upon the glittering pink world of the fairies. She ate all the forbidden fruits, raided the fairies' flowery homes, and assaulted them even. The fairies could not do anything for her aura was too powerful for them. Magenta's hunger was finally appeased, and left Faerie in ruins. To punish her, the fairies resorted to the fairy who worked with Death himself – Lulu.

She then flew up to the sky of Necropolis and took two eyes from Gemini. She found Magenta abusing the former owners of the cottage as her footstool and fanner. Lulu placed the two eyes upon her eyes sockets that had been empty since birth. Her slaves soon found her sleeping, but it was strange for no Necropolitan actually "sleeps"; they had no eyes to rest for. Then, they felt her foul aura was gone. They no longer feared her, but just in case, the couple packed their things and ran away.

In the morning, Magenta felt the sunlight upon the spray of her cataract. She was surprised on what she could see, the light, the colors, the outlines of everything, so clear, so solid, so real. She looked at a polished glass, and there she was with eyes, beautiful and shining eyes. She wasn't ugly at all, and her purple hair gleamed like an amethyst. She happily called out the names of Reynard and Lupine. But there was no reply. She went upstairs, and there she found the empty fur skins of a fox and a wolf. And for the first time, a tear shed from her eye. She took the fur skins, and went to find her only friends in the woods.

Soon, she came upon a village where everyone was merrymaking. When they felt her presence, Magenta expected horrified screams from their throats and flight of their feet. But instead, the villagers welcomed her like a beautiful princess or some angel. Magenta never felt such acceptance from a large number of people. When night fell, their celebration was interrupted when they felt the presence of a witch coming. Magenta hid with them, as the witch walked with the cold night breeze. Magenta perceived her having golden hair, and unlike other witches, she wore white and she's beautiful. It must be her evil aura that frightened the villagers so much. Suddenly, Magenta realized she could not feel auras anymore, even she closed her eyes.

Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of a crystal ball on the witch's hands. Inside was a mist taking shape of a fox and a wolf. "Reynard! Lupine!" Magenta appeared before the witch, and challenged her in a duel. She shouted a spell to summon ice. But not even a spark came from her wand. The witch laughed at her, "Fool! With that feeble aura of yours?" Then, she summoned fire to encircle the girl. It hurt Magenta's eyes and blinded her in tears. But she saw Reynard and Lupine in trouble, then she felt a sudden emotional bond with them. She jumped out of the ring of fire, and blindly hit the witch with a stone.

Blood oozed out of her head. Upon the sight of its redness, Magenta was stirred to hit the witch with more stones. Thunderbolts came out of the witch's wand, but Magenta could see these and easily dodged them as she stoned the witch who could not concentrate on sensing the aura of both the girl and the flying stones. Their battle didn't last long, for with one hit on the head again, the witch fell dead on the ground. The crystal ball she was holding broke into shards. The souls of Reynard and Lupine were freed, and they went back to their fur skins.

Magenta hugged her animal friends, yet the two brothers didn't know it was the same horrible girl who saved them, because they sensed a beautiful aura in her now. It was like she was a totally different person. They inferred they were now near Magenta's happy ending. She then planned to come back to her castle where she expected her father to love her now that she had eyes. Soon, they came out of the thicket and reached Way Castle. But this troubled the two princes, but they kept quiet and hoped what they thought wouldn't be true.

Magenta went directly to the throne room, and found her stepmother alone. Amaryllis was surprised to meet the stranger call herself Magenta, the invisible daughter of Isinglass. Magenta arrogantly asked for her father. But Amaryllis angrily replied that he was long gone to find his Timber Lea. She then sought her own mother, but Amaryllis replied that she didn't return to the castle with her. When they somewhat escaped their horrible fate in the thicket, Isinglass went to another direction to take care of an unfinished business. Then, Amaryllis changed the topic.

"So, you now have eyes, don't you? Humph! I pity people with eyes. They're weak; always giving in by emotions their tears would pour out for them. They're also dumb; never knowing the truth, the very essence of what they see as reality. As for you, those eyes of yours would only cause you nothing good, nothing at all. You sleep, and you'll wake up regretting the things you had missed. You deceive for you hide your true aura, and you'll think if people actually love the true you. You become blinder than us Necropolitans who gouge their eyes, and you'll misjudge things.

"You'll misjudge people for you were used in knowing them through their auras. But now, you no longer can see auras, can you? How sad. Maybe, you could have met your mother in the thicket easily, if it weren't for those eyes. But you would never know her anyway, for you had never seen her physical looks. Then, you cry, you cry so pathetically."

Magenta just ignored her stepmother and went to her chamber. Along the way, Reynard and Lupine's hearts were beating rapidly with fear and guilt. In her room, Magenta wanted to look at the painting of her and her mother. But, when she looked at it with her eyes, a sudden and unheralded fear of hideous intensity evoked the most horrible scream in Magenta. With her own hands, she squeezed her accursed eyes until blood and juices splattered in everything, and she forcefully gouged them with all the pain in her heart. Reynard and Lupine felt the strong aura flooding out of her. They were terrified, not by her ugliness, but by the ugliness she felt at the moment she saw the painting with her own two eyes. Magenta madly rushed out of the castle and into the thicket beyond.

The painting, her mother, she had golden hair, wore a white gown. She's beautiful but she's a witch. SHE'S THE WITCH.


	5. Brethren of the Quest: Obedient Boys

_Who wants to be the hero?_**

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**Chapter 4: Brethren of the Quest  
**

Once upon a time, King Jack's first wife, Dame Amaryllis, had given birth to another son they named Tom. It was the day of his christening when the ritual of the gouging of eyes took place. Baby Tom was crying helplessly and his tears wet the black cloak enveloping him in his cradle of thorns. Watching at his throne, King Jack was disgusted to feel such weak aura, just like what he felt with the new-born Hatchet many years ago. Dame Amaryllis sat down beside the cradle as her stepdaughters, the illiterate Timber Lea and the invisible Magenta, chanted the lost songs of the Murdered Bard. Prince Hatchet, the baby's elder brother, presented the silver spoon of the Moon.

King Jack came over the cradle and took the blessed spoon. After the systematic hollowing out of the baby's eyes, the mortal imperfections of emotion, sleep, and care flew out like the phantasmagoria from Pandora's jar. The two eyeballs shone like stars and floated away to the dark sky for which they shall watch over the mortal whom they belonged. The auroras still gushed out from Tom's eye sockets, filling the grand room with colored shadows of ghastly hues. Suddenly, the doors opened and came in the baby's stepmother, Isinglass, gazing upon the cradle with grim disgust and envy she could not swallow. Jack didn't love her as much.

She waved her hands up high and ululated hysterically. The auroras were frightened by the aura surrounding her and faded out of the room. Jack could feel the bitterness in her and feared to the extent that he somewhat regretted in creating a second son to his first wife. As for Amaryllis, she could feel the extreme jealousy in the witch, but still, this made her ego bigger and challenged Isinglass to ruin her family. Isinglass pointed to her sons and cursed, "Evidences of the Love I could not attain, you shall not find the Happy Ending that you are destined to have. You two shall create each other's downfall!" Lightning flushed inside the room and the gale highlighted the horror.

Jack kneeled in submission and Isinglass collapsed on the floor. Magenta went over to help her mother, while Timber Lea did not stir and continued singing. Amaryllis held tight of her new son whose eye sockets stopped bleeding. Hatchet whispered to his distraught mother, "Don't you worry, mother. Such words could not dictate the stubborn Fates who weaved my life as the Hero. And I promise to love my brother." But this promise had never been fulfilled. As the brothers grow up with their mother's strict training, Hatchet would ignore Tom and rather hunt in the woods with other knights and spend drunken nights in pubs while Tom slept in his room, uninvited.

Both were highly-skilled in battle and won much carnage with their boyish mother. But they differed a lot in their personality. The brawny Hatchet had the choleric personality, full of ambition, energy and passion, and would instill it from others, especially from his brother. Young Tom, on the contrary, had the phlegmatic personality, stoic, cold and as silent as the grave. He inhibited his enthusiasm in others and stayed indoors while not training. And yet, there's still one more thing they were similar to each other. Both dreamt of becoming the Hero of Happy Endings, a stereotype in their romanticist way of living, and they're just waiting for the first sign called absentation.

And it started after they first took their stepsister, Timber Lea, to a battlefield. Their mother stopped training them and spent hours with Isinglass and Timber Lea in a secret get-together. One day, they went into the thicket and Amaryllis returned bruised and lame at twilight. While the doctors treated her wounds, the royal herald, Lionel, approached the smoking queen and threatened her that he shall tell the king what she and the other queen had done to his daughter. Amaryllis then called her son, Tom, "My son, my pride, I have a simple task for you to prove that you are worth it." Hatchet laughed at the idea, "Mother, Tom could never do such thing."

"True. He has a lion's heart. I'm testing him if he had the potential to go beyond that."

Armed with his sword, Tom stalked the royal herald until he arrived on top of a tower. Lionel focused his senses towards the thicket to foresight the arrival of King Jack and to reveal beforehand the secrets of his two wives. He failed to feel the presence of Prince Tom who sneaked behind him with his sword ready to kill the tattle-tale. But Tom soon realized there was no honor in it and had second thoughts of doing his mother's wish or not. Lionel soon sensed the danger lurking behind him and, on his knees, he pleaded the prince to spare his life. Tom finally decided to let him go but Lionel must not come back to Way Castle ever again.

"Thank you, m'lord. Please accept this token, the eye of the dragon, Illuden. I once fought that monster, but only got away with his eye. It is of no use to me anymore because I could no longer continue fighting and I am now but a herald."

Tom accepted the gift as Lionel jumped off the tower, plunged into the dark waters of the moat and rode off with the night winds. When Tom returned with his sword soaked in cow blood, his father was already home and lamenting over the news of his missing daughter. Amaryllis had told him that Isinglass, jealous of her stepchildren, kidnapped Timber Lea and ran away with Magenta. Tom was delighted because this was what the books and songs said as the start of a hero's adventure. This was the absentation. But Hatchet suddenly announced that he shall venture forth and find his precious stepsister, Timber Lea.

Right away, his father provided him with the necessary equipment and the best mail armor and horse. Then, his mother readied Hatchet's two swords and whispered in his ear, "Go find the precious one, my son. Kill her for me. Return with the more precious one instead, the enchanted diamond in her head." Hatchet nodded and kissed his mother's knuckles. Finally, his father kissed his forehead with good luck and pride. Hatchet rode off to the deep dark woods, but his journey wasn't that long as expected. One dreary night, he "saw" the bright twinkles of the diamond. Strangely, it seemed it was flying on its own instead of being atop of someone walking in the meadow.

He followed it through the meadow and to the entrance of another forest. The aura of the trees sang of a warning to whoever wanted to enter the dreaded Mortevalle place. Hatchet disobeyed the trees and continued following the diamond which soon arrived at a huge chateau. Hatchet went inside and finally found the diamond on a table. He found out that a fairy was holding it the whole time. She smiled at him slyly. "You're in trouble for trespassing in this place," she said as a shadow suddenly appeared behind the clueless prince. The cloaked figure wielded a huge scythe and held out his boney hands. Yet, Hatchet stretched out his hands for a hug, "Godfather Grimm!"

"Ah, Hatchet, it's so nice of you to visit these old bones. Lulu, get us some petit fours and ale."

The fairy, whose mischief became a foil, flew away and returned with a tray of grotesque goblets and Halloween cupcakes. Hatchet related of his adventure to find his sister and return with the diamond she found. Godfather Grim looked at the dark fairy and she explained that she did give it to Timber Lea because she was afraid of the girl's fearless aura. And yet, Lulu was determined to take back the enchanted diamond. Hatchet asked her of where she found his stepsister. Lulu was stubborn but she was forced to admit it because the guest was her master's godson. "She's in the Sun Palace," she replied, "where she's going to be sacrificed to Illuden the Devourer."

"Good! The dragon's going to do my job for me," Hatchet tossed his goblet with his godfather.

"You're just like your mother," Godfather Grimm said, "Death is always a priority. I like that in mortals, giving importance to my job. That's why I agreed when your mother herself asked me to be your godfather." In the morning, Hatchet said good bye to his godfather and the fairy, and soon returned home with the precious diamond that the Necropolitans could see. Before his mother, Hatchet lied about killing Timber Lea; besides, the diamond was proof enough that he did what Amaryllis wished. But before his father, he explained that he failed to find his stepsister, but instead found the diamond. King Jack refused the diamond and lamented more for his more precious daughter.


	6. Brethren of the Quest: The Sacrifice

_continuation of the fourth chapter  
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It was Tom's chance then. The elder brother failed. This must be the destiny of the youngest brother. So, Tom volunteered to search for Timber Lea. Amaryllis refused because his journeys won't be fruitful anyway that his stepsister was already dead. But Tom was determined and believed that she was still alive. For you see, unlike Hatchet, Tom felt empathy for their father, so, he must please him and become the hero. King Jack then prepared better equipment and horse for his youngest son's journey. Like the knight in shining armor, Tom travelled across Necropolis for many weeks, stopping in villages, hermitages and castles, and asking for a girl who could not see and hear.

One day, he came upon what was called the Sun Palace. He stayed in an inn outside the main castle of the royalties. He asked the maids about his stepsister, but the maids only scrubbed the floors with obvious secrecy in their tongues. It was the same with the stable boys and cooks. They would ignore him but their awkward aura showed that they indeed knew of a girl who could not see and hear. That night, Tom woke up by the murmurs of a procession towards the palace. He soon found Timber Lea among them. She was inside a glass casket, but Tom felt that her aura was still alive, only asleep. In a rush, he took his sword and went out to stop the black parade.

He fought the guards with great ease and frightened the other villagers away. He broke the glass casket, carried his stepsister in his arms and rode off into the forest. He didn't went too far until he encountered his brother, Hatchet, in the woods. The elder brother admitted that he didn't kill Timber Lea and their mother found out when his weakening aura gave him away. Because of this, he gained his young brother's trust and journeyed to the forest together and told each other's adventures. After many days, they became lost and soon, unwittingly came back to the Sun Palace where all the people were expecting the return of the "Precious One."

The two brothers were surrounded by the royal cavalry. "We can take them down, right, brother?" Tom remarked as he held out his sword. Then, Hatchet joined the other knights and said, "Arrest this man!" Tom could still defeat the cavalry but he was dumbfounded by the sudden betrayal of his brother. In the Sun Palace, Tom was bound in chains in front of the monarchies, Prince Bruin and his sister, Princess Helena. He watched his elder brother, Hatchet, being hailed as the hero and awarded with an accolade and trophies. "Stop this!" he shouted, "He is not the champion he seems to be! He is here to murder that innocent girl! You have it all wrong! He's the villain!"

Princess Helena giggled, "Oh, eternally clueless boy, you're the villain here. You kidnapped the Precious One."

Prince Bruin added, "Besides, she's going to be dead anyway."

It was then revealed that Timber Lea was going to be sacrificed to the dragon called Illuden. This horrified Tom as he was dragged away from his snickering brother and into a sad dungeon. That night, Tom listened to the funeral parade of his dear stepsister outside the palace and into the forbidden hills. Suddenly, the dungeon's doors were opened and a mysterious stranger freed the prince from the rusty bounds. Tom knew it was the loyal herald, Lionel. He gave the prince his sword back and instructions on how to save Timber Lea. When everything were as still as a tomb, Tom rode off with a horse given by Lionel.

When the moon was at its fullest, Tom perceived the silhouette of Timber Lea against its silver light upon the forbidden hills. Then, an enormous monster emerged from Hell. It was a scaly creature with six limbs and talons for hands. It was black, horned and slender. It had skeletal wings, a tail of poisonous spikes, and a lion's mane. Its jaws revealed megalithic teeth and a throat that spits acid. It had only one eye on its face, but it was closed. Its aura was made of the tortured souls from hell. And tonight, he's hungry again for some innocence. Tom seized the Precious One before the dragon sunk its teeth upon her. Then, it chased them through the forbidden hills.

"You're a fool, brother!" appeared Hatchet out of nowhere. He held his two swords in both hands and fought the dragon's sword-like claws. Tom also pulled out his sword and docked the dragon's tail though it came rolling down towards him. Hatchet's two swords then penetrated its scales and sliced through its entrails. But one sword got stuck near the ribs. Fierce with pain, the monster attempted to draw out the weapon, but broke it off, leaving the iron point rankling in his flesh. Now he twisted himself into a coil, then stretched himself out on the ground like a tree trunk. As he moved onwards Timber Lea, Tom made it first and thrust his sword into the opened jaws and pinned Illuden's head on a petrified tree. As he struggled in the agonies of death, Hatchet jumped on him and slashed the dragon's head off.

Tom turned to his stepsister and found her body covered with Illuden's blood and slowly her flesh was melting and revealing her ivory bones. The two brothers were horror-struck and took off their blood-spattered armors before it drips on their skin. Tom suddenly punched his brother right in the jaw to break, and blamed him for Timber Lea's terrible death. "Face it, Tom," Hatchet replied as he walked away with Illuden's head, "You're not the Hero here."

The sun rose, and the people of Sun Palace rejoiced for the death of Illuden and praised more and more the heroism of Prince Hatchet. While he was escorted away to be prepared for brunch with the royal family, Tom had the grim desire to turn the tables and intruded the castle. After dealing with the guards, he arrived at the den where Prince Bruin and Princess Helena were getting ready for their meal with the gallant Hatchet. "Your majesties," Tom pleaded, "He is not the hero he seems to be. He did not kill Illuden. It was I." Lionel, who was helping the two monarchs dress up, played along and asked, "Then, what proof do you have?"

"Hatchet indeed retrieved the head," Tom explained, "But if he really beheaded the monster, where is its cyclopean eye?" Prince Bruin opened the closed eye lid of the dragon head and found no eyeball. He gasped and Tom presented to him the Illuden's eye that Lionel had given him before. "Don't worry, Sir Tomas," Princess Helena, "You shall get what you deserve. But first, let us give Hatchet what he deserves." In the royal dining room, Prince Bruin and Princess Helena questioned Hatchet, "What happens to a person who claims that he defeated Illuden, but in truth, he didn't?"

At this point, Hatchet knew that Tom had successfully turned the tables, "That sly son of a fox…" But thinking quickly, Hatchet's answer must also benefit him though it will give the happy ending to his younger brother. He then turned to the two monarchs and answered, "This liar must be banished into the forbidden lands of Mortevalle." Everyone who heard the latter word gasped with horrific intensity. The two monarchs would rather torture and kill this man than throwing him to that place they call Mortevalle. They looked at Tom who was hiding in the shadowed corner. He nodded while his elder brother smirked at his plate of poached eggs.

Nervously, Prince Bruin and Princess Helena announced, "Thou hath decided thy own punishment!"


End file.
